I cried (SPOILERS)

[Entre_Perpetuo]

Dad and I saw the Cleveland show tonight. Our first concert together was the Chicago show of the R40 tour, and we never thought we’d see Rush again. It’s been my favorite show I’ve ever been to all these years since, and when Geddy and Alex (and now Annika and Loren!) came out and started playing Xanadu tonight, I did something I’ve almost never done before. I cried tears of joy. It was like seeing an old friend, one who you never expected to see again, and they brought you a cake as if to say “it’s so good to see you again.” I was so overcome I could barely sing along. Dad was crying too. We absolutely loved the whole show. Annika completely killed it, even better than I had dreamed. Loren was a very welcome presence on keys and vocals throughout, and it was also fun to watch him jamming in his spot during the parts he didn’t play on. Geddy and Alex shone. Just two best friends playing together again, just like it started. It felt so right, so deeply, spiritually right, to be among other Rush fans again, in such great numbers, such wide varieties of people, all of them kind, nearly every one of them with a great Rush shirt on. Finally getting to hear the songs we missed or got left out 11 years ago: Limelight, Freewill, La Villa Strangiato, Red Barchetta, The Trees, The Garden, Discovery and The Oracle from 2112, Bravado, The Pass, Time Stand Still… it was breathtaking. I wanted it to never be over. At one point Dad and I swear Geddy look right at us, arms in the air and screaming during I don’t even remember what song now. We were way off on his side of the stage, in the bowl, about as far away as I could throw a baseball. Checking the various setlists afterwards, there are a few other songs I’d have loved to see in some of the other rotations, but no setlist sits head and shoulders over the other for me. They really picked an excellent crop of songs to rehearse and rotate all around. Dad and I made a lifelong memory. So to Geddy and Alex and Annika and Loren and everyone else who made this tour a reality (looking at you Paul McCartney), thank you. Thank you so much.

[JCW555VT]

I think if there's one word to describe the Fifty Something Tour, it's catharsis. Both Alex and especially Geddy have talked about how they didn't want to call it quits yet after R40 but Neil's illness very understandably took way bigger precedence. In No One's Disciple, Ged and Alex talked about doing a tribute show to Neil in some way but COVID put a stop to those plans, so the Fifty Something Tour is the way they're honoring Neil's legacy and memory, and what a way to do it. Anika, while not playing everything like Neil 100%, is absolutely showing reverence to Neil with the way she's playing the songs. Both of the tribute videos they show during Bravado and Time Stand Still are a perfect balance of being celebratory without being overly-saccharine. They probably didn't have to do this from a legal perspective but the fact that Ged and Alex got approval from Carrie and Olivia Peart to do this shows the kind of people they are, and Carrie and Olivia's tributes in the tourbook are so beautifully written. And ultimately, I think this is catharsis for us fans. Judging based on the success of this tour so far, fans didn't want to let Rush go either in 2015. I think to a lot of people, Neil's passing put any hopes in seeing Rush perform live again at zero. Neil's passing was devastating, and to make it worse, it happened right before COVID so Ged, Alex, and any of Neil's friends couldn't really grieve properly. I think in a lot of ways, the Fifty Something Tour is a way for Geddy, Alex, and fans to grieve, mourn and celebrate Neil's life and legacy to the fullest extent possible.

Whatever Geddy, Alex and Rush as a whole decide to do after this, well, that's all gravy baby.

Edited September 18 by JCW555VT

[zappafrank]

2 hours ago, Entre_Perpetuo said:

...when Geddy and Alex (and now Annika and Loren!) came out and started playing Xanadu tonight, I did something I’ve almost never done before. I cried tears of joy. It was like seeing an old friend, one who you never expected to see again, and they brought you a cake as if to say “it’s so good to see you again.”

Just got back home (made the trip from Pittsburgh and back since it was solo... but the Saturday night show is with a friend who insisted we get a hotel room so as not to have to drive back right after, lol... but that just means RnRHoF visit!), but wanted to quickly say that I also cried when Alex started playing the main Xanadu line, b/c I couldn't believe I was getting to witness it again. I also cried during the 1st tribute to Neil (Bravado), and then I cried during The Garden missing my almost 17 year-old kittie who I had to help cross the Rainbow Bridge last month, and I also cried for my other friends and family (some also furry! Human or cat/dog...? Maybe all of the above!) who've moved on.

[edhunter]

I originally had tickets to each Cleveland show, but sold them once the Bston shows were announced. After I went to both BOSTON shows, I found myself wishing that I had kept the Cleveland tickets. 

[Juan L. Victory]

I definitely got teary-eyed on this tour.

 

"Catharsis" is a good word for it.

 

 

[Union 5-3992]

I was misty eyed too when they hit the stage. It was something I truly never expected to see again. To see them after such time away and to seemingly not lose a step. You couldn't wipe the grin from my face for those 3 hours. 

[sb2112]

It was a beautiful show and also very surreal. I never expected to see them again. The Pass got to me good. Always a meaningful song to me, and one I hoped to see live and never got to.